By Fitri Hazim Hazam
SHAH ALAM, Sept 5 — The 20kg male saltwater crocodile captured at the Section 7 lake here last night will be relocated to Paya Indah Wetlands in Dengkil for further examination.
Selangor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Wan Mohd Adib Wan Mohd Yusoh said this is to ensure the reptile is disease-free before being returned to its natural habitat.
"The crocodile we rescued will be transferred to a pond at Paya Indah Wetlands and will be examined to ensure it is in good condition before being released into its habitat," he said when contacted.
When asked about the key factor behind the successful capture of the animal, Adib said the temporary closure of the lake and park area by the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) facilitated the hunting operation.
The focus on nighttime capture was due to the crocodile's increased activity during that period, as well as to avoid disturbances from public activities like fishing and recreation.
“An initial study was conducted to track the crocodile’s movements because the lake is huge. Therefore, we set up two traps and three baits at separate locations, which eventually led to its capture last night,” he said.
Adib added that there is a possibility the crocodile became disoriented due to recent flooding, which could have caused it to move through water channels into the lake.
Last night, Shah Alam Mayor Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim confirmed that the saltwater crocodile, estimated to be between three to five years old, was successfully captured at around 10.30pm.
Earlier yesterday, Selangor Perhilitan set up two traps, each weighing approximately 200kg, to capture the crocodile in the lake.
